Stamp-canceling and printing machine.



No. 656,400. Patented Aug. 21, I900.

c. v. FYKE & J. H. BARR. STAMP CANCELING AND PRINTING MACHINE.

(Application filed. Apr. 27, 1895 3.)

{No Model.)

4 SheetsSheet I N. wlilllb 'HHU TNE NORRIS FEYERS co. PHOTO-LITHO.,WASNINGTON, a. c

No. 656,400. Patented Aug. 2|, I900. c. v. FYKE & J. .H. BARRV STAMPCANBELING AND PRINTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Apr. 27, 1898.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Qwwcmtozs (5%?62/ Mwl/ %O'evw @Homwu I wh m wows cuia% No. 656,400. vPatented Aug. 2|, I900.- C. V. FYK E 8. J. H. BARR.

STAMP CANUELING AND PRINTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Apr. 27, 1898. (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W= mum. M

V////////////// ml 1 1 Jr .706 4/ 7 36 I-V/T/VESSES w I INVENTORS 3 3 @jfi. iu fpltamqia Wu wk g; N 1;? Kw H. W.

,/W t y? 4! Alla/nay m: NORRIS pawns to. ruofoumq. wasnmumm o. c.

No. 656,400. Patented Aug; 2|, moo.

c. v. FYKE & J. H. BARB.

STAMP GANCELING AND PRINTING MACHINE.

(Application fild Apr. 27, 1898.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

v/ /////||E Y N was PETERS co" wmoumo" WASNINGTON: D. c.

UNITED STAT S PATENT .OFFICE.

CHARLES v. FYKE, or KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, AND JOHN H. BARR, or KANSASoITY, KANSAS.

STAMPQCANCELING AND PRINTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 656,400, dated August21, 1900.

Application filed April 2'1. 1893.

celing and Printing Machines; and we do de-- clare the following to be afull, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a plan view of a machine embodying our improvements. Fig. 2is a vertical section on the line :13 (r, of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is avertical section on the line {1/ y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a centraltransverse section. Fig. 5 is a partial plan view on alarger scale. Fig.6 is a vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1'. Fig. 7 is a sectionon the line 3 301. Fig. 1. Fig. Sis a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 7.Fig. 9 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig.5. Fig.10 is asection on theline 6 6 of Fig.1. Fig. 11 isa section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 4. Fig.12 is a section of the type and type-carrier.

In the drawings the operative parts of the mechanism are illustrated asbeing supported upon a frame or table. This may be of any suitable sort.That shown has a main bedplate at a, to which are attached the essentialparts of the mechanism, some being sit-' uated above and some below.

The prime-shaft mechanism is indicated by B, it being shown as arrangedhorizontally below the bed-plate and longitudinalof the machine and ismounted in bearings carried by the downward hangers I). From this shaft13 power is taken for actuating the moving parts of the mechanism, andpower is imparted to it by means of suitable devices,

such as a tight belt-wheel B, it also having a loose wheel at B for thebelt when the machine is out of action. The parts to be driven by thisshaft are principally in two sets, one set comprising those whichseparate the letters or other equivalent bodies one from anserarnaevaooa (NomodeL) other and which advance them in series past the printingmechanism, and the other set comprises those'which constitute the meansfor applying to each letter in turn the characters or marks which aredesired -as, for instance, characters substantially similar to thoseused in postmarking and canceling.

The letter separating and advancing or propelling devices consist,essentially, of a traveling belt having opposed to it any'suitablyactingsurface, either moving or stationary, such as a vertical wall or plateD, lying above and supported upon the bed-plate a. The belt is carriedor supported by two pulleys or Wheels E and E, respectively connected tothe shafts e 6. These pulleys or wheels are grooved, by preference,forseveral reasons,including the proper supporting and guidance of the beltand the permitting ofthe surface of the belt to be depressed to or belowthe surface of one or both of the pulleys. Power is im parted to one orboth of the shafts e e from the prime or line shaft B either directly orthrough suitable mechanism- As shown, itis directly connected bybevel-gears at F F. The belt is arranged in relation to the opposingpressure surface or wall at D, substantially as illustrated in plan viewin Figs. 1 and 5that is to say, so that the said opposing surface orwall acts to slightly deflect the operative strand of the belt from itsnormal line, the dragging or propelling action of the belt in this Waybeing increased to any extent desired. The abutting or opposing plate atD is preferably grooved, as shown at d, so as to permit the belt todepress or tend to depress itself beyond the outer surface of the partD, thereby greatly increasing the bite or grip of the belt upon theletters or similar articles. The opposing surface instead 01": beingprovided by a stationary wall or belt, as that at D, may be furnished byone or more opposing traveling belts or equivalents; but in a machine ofthe character of that described we have found it better in attaining allof the several ends at which we aim to have one of the opposing surfacesstationary, depending for transmitting force upon the frictional actionof the surface of the traveling belt. The above-mentioned pulley orwheel E is also used as the stacking device for the stamped and canceledletters,

it being situated ata point somewhat beyond the printing mechanism andbeing preferably provided with catching and stopping fingers 6 sosituated as to have the delivered letters impinge thereon and checktheir lateral throw, stopping them at the proper points for forming thestack-pile, which moves on a line transverse to the belt-path and awayfrom the Wheel E.

Turning to the devices which apply to each of the letters or articles inturn the desired marks or'characters, (such as those for canceling andstamping them,) it will be seen that they are composed, essentially, ofa reciprocating form or type-carrier (indicated as a whole by G) and aplaten or impression-bed, (indicated as a whole by H.)

Heretofore machines of this class have gen erally been constructed withrotary typecarriers or printing-rolls and also with rotary impressionrolls or beds or platens. It has been well known to designers of suchmachines that serious disadvantages are incident to them when theprinting and impression mechanisms are rotary in character. The machinesto be economical in use must impart to these rotary partsexceedingly-high speeds. It is difficult under such speeds to advancethe letters to the printing device in correct time relations because ofthe large number of parts necessary to feed, stop, and accurately startagain the articles prior to reaching the printing-dies and do it in suchway as to have them register properly with the letter. The high speed ofrotation interferes with obtaining the desirably clear and exactdelineation of the characters which is desired, the effect in a largepercentage of imprints being the production of a blurring orindistinctness. Again, the rotary machine depending upon a rotarycarrier for the dies and for the platen material has compelled anexpensive construction of the die and carrier and a construction. towhich has been incident difficulty in changing the dies easily andquickly. In the present mechanism we have devised a method of bringinginto play in this peculiar class of machines the fact well known inprinting that superior effects are obtainable where the act ofimpression is performed when the printing parts are moving or beingpressed in a rectilineal or substantially-rectilineal path. We maintainthe same rapidity of operation, but have so re0rganized the feeding andstopping devices that a rectilineally-acting printing mechanism can beutilized and brought to its work not while the letter is rapidlyadvancing, but while it is standing still, and therefore susceptible ofa perfect imprint.

A machine embodying our improvements can be made in any of several Ways,and we do not limit ourselves to the exact construction 01' arrangementherein illustrated and described, but for some reasons we at presentprefer one substantially such as shown.

I is a plate or form piece adapted to have type or marking devicessecured thereto permanently or detachably. It is secured to a shaft orbar 72 and is adapted to rotate or rock therewith. The shaft is mountedin a movable support, that shown consisting of bars or bearers J J,mounted to slide in a guideway. The guideway illustrated is formed bymeans of bars or plates at J.

j is a cross-bar connecting the bars J J, andj is a rearward-projectingbar to which the bar device is attached. The latter consists of a pitmanK, pivoted at 7c to the bar j or ears 3 projecting downward therefromand passing through a slot at in the table a. The pitman K is actuatedby the main shaft B through an eccentric K, the latter fitted in a strap75, carried by the pitman. NVhen the shaft 15 is rotating, it will,through the eccentric K and the pitman K, impart a reciprocatorymovement to the carriage J j j, and the latter will impart similarmovement to the type-carrier I. The parts are so adjust ed that thetype-carrier advances to the vertical plane of the surface of a letteras it travelsinanormal path ortoaplaneslightly say one-sixteenth of aninch-remote from that of the letter-surface.

Ink may be applied to the type at each reciprocation of the carrier I inany suitable manner, as by a stationary pad and means for moving thetype thereto operating as follows: As the carrier I moves backward ithas at the proper time a rocking or rotary motion imparted to it. Asshown, it is rocked through one-half of the circle around the axis at h.At L there is a stationary inkingpad arranged in a vertical plane. Justbefore the type-carrier has reached this pad it has been swung around,so that the type are drawn squarely against the pad and are neatly andcompletely inked. This is accomplished by a wheel or segment M engagingwith a rack at N, and when the reverse movement is occurring the rackand pinion throw the type-carrier back into operative positionthat is,projecting forward ready to apply the ink to the article.

We provide means or arrange the parts so that at both ends of themovement of the diecarrier the latter shall be without rotary motion andbe moved through a fraction of an inch rectilineally first at the placewhere it impinges on a letter and then at the place where it contactswith the pad. To accomplish this, we have the teeth of the wheel M andthe racks N so disposed that rotary engagement is stopped before thecarrier reaches either end of the movement of the carrier Jj.

The platen portion or impression-receiving part of the machine isconstructed and oper ated as follows: The platen proper is indicated by0, it being a plate or block with felt, rubber, or other suitable facematerial of the sort generally employed for such purpose. It issupported by a carrier having a cross-head P, with guide-bars 1)extending backward or outward and fitted in guideways provided bystationary plates Q, secured to the bed-plate.

This carriage P p is normally held backward.

or away from the working position by means of a spring R, interposedbetween a part of the carriage and a stop or abutment r. This carriage,and'with it the platen O, can be positively moved toward the letter-pathas follows: T is apushing finger or arm connected to a sliding plate Tby a hinge at t. The sliding plate is also mounted in a guideway at Qand is connected to a pitman U by a hinge u. The pitman U is connectedto eccentric U on the power-shaft B by means of a strap u, carried bythe pitman U. When the shaft B is rotating, it will, through theeccentric U, the pitman U, sliding bar T, and the finger or arm T, causethe platencarriage P p to advance toward the letterpath, provided thatthe finger or arm T is in engagement with the shoulder P on thecrosshead P; but the said finger or arm T is not always in engagementwith the shoulder P, as it is normally held in its lower position by thestress of the spring i, and when in this lower position it will advancetoward the letter-path without engaging with the shoulder P or otherpart of the platen-carriage, and consequently the latter will be held inits rear position by the spring R and the platen will remain remote fromthe letter-path.

To cause the engagement of the arm T with the shoulder P or othersuitable part of the platen-carriage, and thus cause the advance of thelatter, we employ tripping mechanism having the following parts:

V is a lever pivoted at c to the bed-plate and having one arm 4;normally lying across the letter-path, as shown. The other arm n ispivotally connected to a trip-bar W, which slides transversely to theplaten-carriage P p and is situated below it. This bar W has a wedge atw, adapted to slide in contact with the under side of the finger or armT. When moving in one direction, the wedge thereon lifts the finger orarm T up to the above-described position, where it can contact with theshoulder P on the platen-carriage. When the wedge is in its inactiveposition, the spring 25' causes the arm or finger T to immediately dropto its lowest position and remain there until again lifted by the wedge.As the letter approaches the position for print ing it impinges on thelever V, moving it away from the letter-path, and in doing so it drawsthe wedge-bar W under the arm or finger T and raises the latter.Consequently by the time the letter has reached the proper position onthe lines between the platen and the printer the platen is advanced soas to lie against one side of the letter, and in an instant thereafterthe die-carrier has been advanced in the way above described and ispressed against the opposite side of the letter, the pressure thusbrought to bear transmitting from the newly-inked type the ink to theletter to produce the desired character. lVhen no letter is advancing tothe printing position, even though the machine is in operation, theplaten will be held away from the letter-path, inasmuch as at such timethe lever V is inactive and the wedge w is in its inactive position andthe pushing-fingerT is out of engagement with the shoulder at P on theplaten-carriage. Therefore the transfer of ink from the type-carrier Ito the platen will be avoided. If no such provision be made and if thetype-carrier and the platen at all times move to their operativepositions, there would result such transfer of ink to the platen, (noletter being between,) and then onthe approach of the nextletter the inkon the platen would be impressed against the back of the letter and soiland besmirch it. Each letter is in turn stopped in the printing positionby the stops at X. These are situated one above and the other below thebelt 0 and are preferably integral with or secured to a carrying-bar X,which is adapted to slide back and forth, and governed by guides at Y Y,secured to a guide-plate Y The sliding frame J j carries a pivot fingeror arm Z, pivoted to shaft h and having a lug z engaging with a lug Z2on the stop X. e is a spring normally tending to press the pivoted arm Zupward, so that its lug will engage with that at z When the slidingcarrier J j moves backward, it also draws backward the letter-stop X Xthrough the medium of the lugs z 2 When the pivoted arm Z reaches thecam-stop Z this cam-like Wedge at z striking said lug Z causes the arm Zto move downward and disengage the lugs z and .2 As soon as this occursthe stops X X are returned to their active position by means of thespring Z. As soon as the backward movement of the stops X X has beeneffected the letter just printed is allowed to pass. When the lugs z .2are disengaged, the spring at Z returns the stops X X in sufficient timeto catch and stop the next letter which is being advanced by the belt 0.

The type-carrier I is illustrated as having at i a dovetailed guideway,and into this a dovetailed plate 2" is adapted to fit and moverectilineally, this plate carrying one of the diesas illustrated, thatone which imprints upon the letter the post-office and the time ofmailing or receiving it. At i there is a guideway which receives anotherset of type or marking devicesuch as a die 2' with lines 2' thereon-forcanceling a stamp. At t and 2' there are steps or supports for the dies.With the construction shown the dies can be very quickly and easily putinto place, it only being necessary to slide the movable part verticallyalong the dovetailed guides.

Means can be employed for preventing the stops X X from being drawn outof the letterpath. A device for this purpose is shown at X it consistingof a trigger-like finger or lever pivoted at X and having its projectingarm in the letter-path and slightly in advance of the stop X andcarrying at its inner end the above-described lug 2 l/Vhen theprojecting arm of this lever is in its normal position, it holds the lug.2 out of the path of the lug .2" on sliding frame Jj, and at such timesthe sliding frame can move toward and from the letter-path withoutwithdrawing the stops X X; but as soon as the letter approaches thestops it first strikes the arm of the lever X and throws the lug 2 out,so that at the next advance of the carrier J and the type carrier withit, the lugs will be in position to engage with each other and effect aconnection between the stops X X and the carriage Jj. Thereforeimmediately after the typecarrier has effected an impression on the letter and begins to recede its carrier Jj also draws back the stops, andthe letter is instantly passed to the stacker. At the next instant thestopsX and the carrierJ are disengaged by the cam-stop Z and the springZ quickly throws stops X again across the letter-path and holds themthere until the next letter strikes the lever X This insures that everyletter shall receive the stamping and canceling marks at the properplace.

While we have above described the mechanism particularly with referenceto its use as a postmarking and stamp-canceling machine, yet it will beunderstood that there are many uses to which one can be put having moreor less of the parts of this mechanismfor instance, the printing ofcards, tickets, and other articles. Hence when we herein use thetermletters we mean to include not only such articles as ordinaryletters, but small articles of other sorts which are capa ble of beingprinted in a similar manner; and, again, there can be modifications ofthe present machine in many respects without departing from the spiritof the invention. As it is the letters are carried by the advancingmechanism past the printer from the receiving side to the delivery sidethereof on a horizontal line; but it is well known that machines of thisclass can be constructed with the parts so arranged as to carry thearticles on vertical or inclined lines, suitable changes in the relativedisposition of the parts being made to permit this.

that we claim is 1. In a machine for canceling or printing, thecombination of means for advancing the letters or otherarticles, movableprinting and platen mechanisms, a stop movable with the printingmechanism for holding the article stationary in the printing position,and a trip actuated by the letter or other article to con.- trol themovement of the platen mechanism, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine for canceling or printin the combination of means foradvancing the letters or other articles, rectilineally-reciproeatingprinting mechanism, reetilineallyreciprocating platen mechanism, a stopmovable With the printing mechanism for holding the article stationaryin the printing position, and a trip actuated by the letter or otherarticle to control the movement of the platen mechanism, substantiallyas set forth.

3. In a machine for canceling or printing, the combination of means foradvancing the letters or other articles, reciprocating printingmechanism, a stop movable with said printing mechanism but normallydisengaged therefrom, and means operated by the letters for connectingthe two whereby said stop will be withdrawn by the reciprocation of theprinting mechanism only after a letter has been printed, substantiallyas set forth.

4. In a machine for canceling or printing, the combination of means foradvancing the letters or other articles, a stop normally lying in thepath of travel of said articles to retain them in the printing position,reciprocating printing and impression mechanisms, and means operated bythe advance of the articles to the impression posit-ion for causing thewithdrawal of said stop after each article has been printed,substantially as set forth.

5. In a machine for canceling or printing, the combination of the meansfor advancing the letters, the movable stop for the letters, theprinting mechanism, and the tripping device actuated by the letters forcausing the stop to be moved out of the letter-path, substantially asset forth.

(5. In a machine for canceling or printing, the combination of the meansfor advancing the letters, the stop for the letters, the printingmechanism, the ineans for withdrawing the stop from the letter-path, anddevices actuated by the advancing letter for connecting the stop to thestop-withdrawing devices, substantiallyas described.

7. In a machine for canceling or printing, the combination of theprinting mechanism, the letter-advancing mechanism moving the lettersfrom the receiving side of the machine to the delivery side, and anintermittinglyacting letter-stop on the delivery side of the printingmechanism, substantially as set forth.

S. In a machine for canceling or printing, the combination of theprinting mechanism, the letter-advancing mechanism moving the lettersfrom the receiving side to the delivery side of the printer, anintermittingly-acting letter-stop, on the delivery side of the printer,a letter-actuated mechanism for bringing into action the stop-withdrawing devices, substantially as set forth.

E). In a machine for canceling or printing, the combination of thereciprocating printer, the letter-advancing means for moving the lettersfrom the receiving side to the delivery side of the printer, and anintermittingly-aeting stop on the delivery side of the printer,substantially as set forth.

10. In a machine for canceling or printing, the combination of thereciprocating printer, the opposing platen or impression mechanism,means for moving the impression mechanism toward and from the printer,and an intermittinglyacting stop on the delivery side of the printer,substantially as set forth.

11. In a machine for canceling or printing, the combination of thereciprocating printer, the letter-advancing devices for carrying theletters from the receiving side to the delivery side of the printer, theletter-controlled impression receiving device movable toward and fromthe letter-path, and the letter-controlled stop on the delivery side ofthe printer, substantially as set forth.

12. In a machine for canceling or printing,

the combination of the reciprocating printing mechanism,the opposingletter-controlled impression-receiving mechanism, and thelet- I 5ter-controlled stop, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of witnesses.

CHARLES V. FYKE. JOHN H. BARR. Witnesses to signature of Charles V.Fyke:

GEORGE BUCKLER, H. H. BLISS. Witnesses to signature of John H. Barr:

A. G. NOTEMAN, M. A. FYKE.

